Apparatus for method for forming bottle caps



Oct. 19, 1937. R. T. WRIGHT 2,096,018

D METHOD FOR FORMING B In venfar ROLAND 1'. WRIGHT Patented Oct. 19, 1937 UNITED STATES APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR FORMING BOTTLE GAPS Roland T. Wright, St. Louis, M0,, assignor to Rocoro, .Inc., St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Application June ZE, 1934, Serial No. 732,279 Renewed January 9, 1937 8 Claims.

This invention relates to bottle caps, and more specifically that type of bottle cap consisting of a rather elongated tubular metal member, closed W at its upper end or top, to be slipped onto the already sealed or capped bottle as anadditional seal and ornamentation therefor, to lend a note of distinction, and. suitably held in place until re,-

moval by the ultimate consumer, this type of ornamental cap being quite common for bottles of wine, champagne, and many other liquids.

The invention has among its objects the pro:-

duction of an apparatus for making these caps, and the method of making them, which is quite novel, and which results in producing the caps speedily, simply, and economically.

1 Another object of my invention is to produce a device for making caps of the kind described, by a method that is not exactly spinning or pressing, but by a method that combines the advantages of both, without their disadvantages, and

whereby the metal is caused to flow into the desired shape during the forming operation.

A further object of my invention is to provide an apparatus of the kind described, inwhich a metal slug is supported duringthe forming operation, and in which-compressed air is introduced subsequent to said forming operation, to loosen the contact of the cap with the mold and to actuate it from the same smoothly, easily and quickly,

without damage thereto.

Still furtherobjects of my invention are to so construct the forming apparatus for making these caps, that the bottom member of the forming device shall act as a valve to normally seal E315 the mold, but which may be unseated pneumatically at the end of the forming operation to adput the air to engage the under side of the formed cap to lift it from the mold, and in which the caps may be made tapered if desired, without we danger of splitting or otherwise damaging the material during the course of manufacture, and in which the apparatus and method may be otherwise satisfactory, reliable and efficient wherever deemed applicable.

Many other objects and advantages of'the construction herein shown and described, and the method used, will be obvious to those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains, as Will "150 be apparent from the disclosures herein given,

ters indicate like or corresponding parts throughout the views,

Figure 1 is a vertical cross-sectional View through the device, at substantially the beginning of forming operation;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the mandrel tip;

Figure 3 is a face view of said tip; and Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken substantiallythrough the line 44 of Fig. 1.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, wherein I have illustrated one of the preferred embodiments of my invention, A indicates the slug or disk from which the bottle cap is to be formed, it being understood of course, that this slug is of some sort of relatively soft and ductile metal such as lead or the like, and when introduced into the forming device may be approximatelyfi" in thickness and about an inch in diameter, and may be initially flat when introduced into the base of the forming mechanism. Although the disk is shown as being dished or somewhat conical, this shape may be given to it prior to its insertion into the forming device if desired, 01'. the same may be introduced flat into the device and will be pressed into its conical form by the mandrel coming into-position thereon. A metal disk of this sizehas been found to very easily form into a cap of approximately 1%, at the closed end and of about the taper shown, and r of a length of about 4", without splitting or being otherwise objectionable for handling.

, The forming apparatus comprising a relatively stationary cup or mold member I, with an opening extending longitudinally therethrough, the upper portion 2 of the opening being tapered, with the smaller diameter at the lower end, and defining the peripheral wall of the mold, engaging the exterior of the cap during its formation in the apparatus.

A closure element or plug 3 forms the bottom of the size-defining'opening for the cap, this element being in the form of a valve, preferably conoavely dished in its upper face and upon which the metal disk or slug is supported, the upper face of the valve being smaller than the diameter of the opening 2 at the small end, so that an annular shoulder 4 is provided radially beyond the top rim of the valve. The valve is I also preferably tapered, so as to be substantially self-centering and neatly seating, and to the lower end of the shank of said valve is a laterally projecting enlargement 5, such as a nut or the like, to limit upward travel of the valve. Clearance is provided between the shank of the valve and the member I, to permit the introduction of air under pressure through the lower end of the opening through the member I when desired, or said air may be otherwise suitably introduced beneath the valve to lift the latter when the weight of the mandrel has been taken away, as will be more clearly hereinafterset forth. Any

; sort of a control means maybe provided for the introduction of said air, as-by a foot -treadle,

hand trip, or the like, the particular control not To any type of rotary spindle 6, capable of:

being driven fairly rapidly, say at about 1800 R. P. 1V1, there is fitted a spindle extension or mandrel portion 1, of a taper corresponding to that of the opening 2 of the cup member, and to the lower end of said mandrel there is a tip, preferably separate therefrom, but interfitting therewith to act as a unit, somewhat in the manner shown, this tip having its lower face dished or made conically convex to correspond with that of the upper face of the valve 3. It is to be especially noted that theconical face of said tip is provided with one or more ribs or ridges 8 thereon, extending from the'center or axis to adjacent the periphery of the same, and that these ribs are not truly radially extending, but extend in an arcuate line, with the direction of rotation of the mandrel being as shown by the arrow.

Longitudinally extending rollers 9 are arranged to extend upwardly of the lower end of the mandrel, these rollers being spaced apart the circumference of the mandrel and preferably recessed so as to project to substantially flush with the periphery'of the mandrel, and being of sufficient length to extend from the top of the opening 2 to adjacent its-bottom. The provision of these rollers reduces the amount of friction between the mandrel and the cap being formed and causes the metal of the latter to flow rather than be pulled during formation.

To form the cap, a slug A, either flat or dished, is introduced into the bottom of the opening 2, the valve 3 being seated of course, inasmuch as the air pressure is either off or not sufiicient to lift the latter, and then' the mandrel, rotating at thepreferred speed, is introduced into the opening, lowering the same until it engages the upper face of the slug. Continued rotation of the spindle, with or without added pressure, causes the ribs to spread the metal of the slug outwardly and upwardly into the space between the mandrel and the cup, these motions being slightly different than a purely spinning operation or anextrusion process, and yet combining the advantages of both without having their defects; The metalof the slug keeps filling the space between the mandrel and the cup, working its way upwardly to the'topof 'the mold or perhaps slightly therebeyond, the'rollers acting 1 for receivingthe next subsequent disk or slug to be formed.

Having thus described my invention, it isobvious that various immaterial modifications may be made in the same without departing from the spirit of my invention; hence I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the exact form, arrangement, construction, or combination of parts herein shown and described, or the uses mentioned, except as limited'by the state of the art to which this invention appertains, or the claims hereunto appended.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a device for rolling a bottle cap from a slug, the combination of a vertical tapered rotary mandrel having slug-engaging ribs on its bottom; a cup having an opening to receive said mandrel and with a clearance therebetween to substantially define the thickness of the finished cap; a movable valve normally seated within said cup to close the opening to said mandrel and support said slug; and means for conducting air under pressure to below said valve to unseat the same and permit said air to passsaid seat and into engagement with the exterior of said formed cap to actuate said formed cap from its support on said valve. v V

2. In a device for rolling a bottle cap from a relatively soft metal slug, the combination of a rotary mandrel whose bottom isengageable with said slug and having arcuately extending intersecting ribs across said bottom; a slug-receiving cup having anopeningto receive said mandrel thereinto and with a lateral clearance therebetween to substantially define thethickness ofthe finished cap. 1 v U 3. In an apparatus of the kind describedfor making a one-piece bottle cap from a metal disk, the combination of a rotary tapered mandrel having intersecting ribs extending across its bottom; a cup having a tapered opening to receive said mandrel and having lateral clearance there with to define the thickness of the finished cap; a pneumatically controlled valve normally seated within said opening to form a bottom closure therefor and supporting vsaid disk, the lateral wall of said opening being spaced from the periphery of said valve, said valve being unseated at the end of forming operation to lift the cap from its support.

4; In an apparatus for making a one-piece cap from a metal disk, the combination of a rotary vertical mandrel having a slug-engaging end having an arcuately extending rib thereacross; a cup having an opening to receive said mandrel and having lateral clearance therewith to define the thickness of the finished cap;- longitudinally extending rollers carried by said mandrel substantially fiush with the periphery of-,the latter to engage said formable metal; and a bottom closure within said opening in said cup to sup-' port said disk. 7 1- 5. In an apparatus for, making one-piece bottle caps from metal slugs, the combination of a vertical rotary tapered mandrel having a. conical tip at the end for engagement with said slugs and with a plurality of arcuately extending ribs across said bottom from the center to adjacent the periphery; a cup having a longitudinally tapered opening to receive said mandrel .andhaving an annular space therebetween to engage with the metal of said slug forced thereinto during the forming; a closure normally closing the lower end of said cup opening and receiving said metal slug, the tip of said mandrel being of larger diameter than said closure.

-6. The method of forming a one-piecefbottle J5 cap from a metal slug", consisting in supporting said slug on one face while rapidly rolling and pressing the other face to cause themetal to flow into a confined space, and thence removing said rolling and pressing means and blowing fluid with sufficient force for consecutively lifting said shaped cap. while supported and then freeing the latter from said support.

'7. In a device for forming a bottle cap from a deformable slug disk, the combination of a rotary mandrel member; a cup member opposed thereto and having an opening closed at one end to receive said mandrel member and with a clearance th-erebetween to define the thickness of the finished cap, said disk having its opposed faces engaging between said mandrel and the closed end of said opening; a ridge extending across the face of one of said opposed cooperating members to engage said disk during the forming of the same; and means for admitting fluid under pressure to one of said faces of the disk while in said cup member, to urge said disk toward said mandrel.

8. In a device for forming a bottle cap from a piece of deformable material, the combination of a rotary mandrel member; a cup member having an opening closed at one end to receive said mandrel member and with a clearance laterally between the mandrel member and said opening to define the thickness of the finished cap, said piece of material engaging at its opposed sides between said mandrel and the closed end of said opening; a ridge extending transversely of the face of one of said opposed cooperating members to engage said piece of material during the forming of the same; and means for admitting fluid under pressure to one of the engaged sides of said piece of material while in said cup member to urge the same toward said mandrel member. 7

ROLAND T. WRIGHT. 

